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  1. #1
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    Default 2021 Outside Temp Gauge Issue

    We have two 2021 RTLs and both it seams that the outside air temp are off by about 5+ degrees. Also when sitting still the temp goes even higher. Has anyone else noticed this. Is there a fix or is this just live with it?

  2. #2
    Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie Peter Aawen's Avatar
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    It's not an 'Outside Air' temperature gauge, it's the temp detected by the sensor mounted under the tupperware somewhere near the air intake, so it's getting some heat from the engine, reflected heat off the road surface (if it's a hot day), some protection from any breeze/moving air, and so it's showing you a temp that's WAAAY CLOSER to the Engine Air Pre-Intake temp than anything else!! Some marketing guru probably thought it'd be a good selling point to show ambient temps on the dash, but the BRP bean counters wouldn't allow the dollars to add a sensor to give that (and it would probably add to the retail price!) so the decision was made just to use the temp sensor already there, even tho it doesn't really show ambient temp!

    You can either ignore it; get used to it reading high & going up whenever the 'under-tupperware' temp rises; or if you are really keen, you could locate it & move it away from the under-body/air intake location.... but if you do that, it might mean the engine computer thinks the intake air is a bit colder & denser than it really is when it gets sucked into the important bits, which could result in the engine using a bit more gas & maybe running not quite as well as it could?!?

    Me, I'd live with it as it is, knowing it's usually going to be somewhat off the 'official' temperature, but then those temps are usually taken from inside a box/Stevenson screen that's often located sorta in the shade or still air somewhere, so are they a real reflection of the temps you're ryding in??

    Ryde More, Worry Less! And don't think that temp display is necessarily showing you anything gospel!
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  3. #3
    Active Member Pooch's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by shardt View Post
    We have two 2021 RTLs and both it seams that the outside air temp are off by about 5+ degrees. Also when sitting still the temp goes even higher. Has anyone else noticed this. Is there a fix or is this just live with it?
    My 2021 RTL does the same… sometimes reads a little high as compared to the reported ambient temp… but so did my Gold Wing trike.
    Peter’s explanation sums it up nicely.
    2021 RT Ltd, Marsala Red/Black, Dark
    New course heading Mr Sulu: 2nd star to the right and straight on til morning...

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    Thanks that makes sense.

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    Very Active Member Snoking1127's Avatar
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    My 2018 RTL is the same.
    2018 RT Limited - Asphalt Metallic - East Valley of Phoenix/ 2018 RT Limited Chrome
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    Things that move between machines: Ikea sheep skins, Zuno XT GPS, and extra tools. Hooker is going to be my summer up North and Hookie my winter trike down South.

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  6. #6
    Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie Peter Aawen's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pooch View Post
    My 2021 RTL does the same… sometimes reads a little high as compared to the reported ambient temp… ....
    Quote Originally Posted by Snoking1127 View Post
    My 2018 RTL is the same.
    It's a Factory Issued/Undocumented Feature that's been identified in all Spyders with that temp display on their dash - there's threads & discussion about it dating right back to the early days of this Forum. So unless someone's modified their sensor position/upgraded the software/jimmied the gauge, etc, it doesn't matter what year or model Spyder they've got, they're ALL pretty much the same, even if the owner/operator hasn't really noticed - yet!
    Last edited by Peter Aawen; 12-05-2021 at 09:20 PM. Reason: daysof = days of :-/
    2013 RT Ltd Pearl White

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    On the 2021+ RT, the sensor is located under the front right side body panel next to the hood. You can move it to a better location. There is some extra length to the wire. The sensor is black with 2 wires and clipped to the frunk framework.
    2021 Sea to Sky RT , Highland green

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    I ignore mine unless I'm moving, then it's not that bad.

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    We have 19 and 20 F3L's. Our gauges are consistently 2 degrees apart. I always drive at the front of the pack.

    Outside temp will vary up to 5 degrees based on outdoor thermometers. Once again, I think it has to do with the OD thermometer location. Direct sun can play a big part.

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    .

    I ignore my ( 2014 RTS) because it is so small as to be useless, ( so is the clock, But I've added one of the dash mount.

    Lew L
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  11. #11
    SpyderLovers Sponsor BajaRon's Avatar
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    Probably not applicable here. But my 2008 temp sensor was zip-tied out of the way from the factory. It was supposed to be re-located during dealer set-up to a more appropriate place farther forward and within the intake airstream. When I discovered this and mounted it where it was supposed to be, temps got much more stable and reliable. The more accurate readings also helped the engine run better. With readings too high, your engine will tend to run leaner.

    Turned out this was a common corner cutting issue with dealerships on the early models.
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  12. #12
    Active Member Valkrocket's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Aawen View Post
    It's not an 'Outside Air' temperature gauge, it's the temp detected by the sensor mounted under the tupperware somewhere near the air intake, so it's getting some heat from the engine, reflected heat off the road surface (if it's a hot day), some protection from any breeze/moving air, and so it's showing you a temp that's WAAAY CLOSER to the Engine Air Pre-Intake temp than anything else!! Some marketing guru probably thought it'd be a good selling point to show ambient temps on the dash, but the BRP bean counters wouldn't allow the dollars to add a sensor to give that (and it would probably add to the retail price!) so the decision was made just to use the temp sensor already there, even tho it doesn't really show ambient temp!

    You can either ignore it; get used to it reading high & going up whenever the 'under-tupperware' temp rises; or if you are really keen, you could locate it & move it away from the under-body/air intake location.... but if you do that, it might mean the engine computer thinks the intake air is a bit colder & denser than it really is when it gets sucked into the important bits, which could result in the engine using a bit more gas & maybe running not quite as well as it could?!?

    Me, I'd live with it as it is, knowing it's usually going to be somewhat off the 'official' temperature, but then those temps are usually taken from inside a box/Stevenson screen that's often located sorta in the shade or still air somewhere, so are they a real reflection of the temps you're ryding in??

    Ryde More, Worry Less! And don't think that temp display is necessarily showing you anything gospel!
    In my humble opinion.....don't even bother showing that useless number on my dash! Give us a Navi system or even a cup holder instead.
    A temperature gauge should give you a true ambient temp..... not a temperature somewhere in the bowels of my Spyder.
    Just sayin' .........
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    2021 RTL Chrome , Petrol Blue

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    I have a 2021 RTL, same issue with temperature going very high when your setting in traffic, once you start moving, comes back to being relatively accurate! I am usually riding on nicer days, so outside temp. really doesn’t effect my ride! Just my thoughts…

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    mine reads about 10-20 degrees high no matter if im stopped or cruising down the highway.. I just got the BUDS 2 system, I want to see if it can be calibrated to be more accurate cannot wait to dig into it.


    2021 Sea to Sky
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  15. #15
    Active Member ES44AC's Avatar
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    The sensor needs to be moved or it needs to be renamed to under Tupperware temp gauge. It is definitely NOT outside air temp gauge.
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  16. #16
    Active Member spyder01's Avatar
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    Wait till he notices his clock
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  17. #17
    Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie Peter Aawen's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by spyder01 View Post
    Wait till he notices his clock




    Are they really STILL doing that?!?

    Mind you, without something else showing the 'real time' (like the Garmin GPS that the earlier up market model RT's got) to provide an accurate & in-your-face comparison (if you can read anything that small! ) it's likely to take a while for anyone to notice that the dash clock is running on a different time scale to everything else in the universe!
    2013 RT Ltd Pearl White

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  18. #18
    Active Member Woodswoman's Avatar
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    My husband has a 2016 F3-T.

    I have a 2016 F3-S.

    Sitting side by side or riding right behind one another, my S always reads hotter. Sometimes by as few as 2 degrees, sometimes by as many as 10 degrees.

    Kinda disappointing, actually. I was rather pleased with the feature until I realized how inaccurate it is.
    2016 Spyder F3-S

  19. #19
    happy old fart stillriding's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by spyder01 View Post
    Wait till he notices his clock
    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Aawen View Post


    Are they really STILL doing that?!?

    Mind you, without something else showing the 'real time' (like the Garmin GPS that the earlier up market model RT's got) to provide an accurate & in-your-face comparison (if you can read anything that small! ) it's likely to take a while for anyone to notice that the dash clock is running on a different time scale to everything else in the universe!
    Funny you mention clocks. I'm highly impressed with the accuracy of the clock on my '20 RT. Aside from semi-annual adjustments for DST/ST I've only had to adjust mine twice in nearly two years. The clock on my old '14 gained about a minute-and-a-half every WEEK!
    Last edited by Peter Aawen; 12-09-2021 at 03:39 PM. Reason: Fixed quote display

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    We can probably all agree that Spyder temp gauges are way off the actual temp, and there's probably no fix. It's one of those little things we live with. No biggie in my book.

  21. #21
    Active Member Pooch's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stillriding View Post
    Funny you mention clocks. I'm highly impressed with the accuracy of the clock on my '20 RT. Aside from semi-annual adjustments for DST/ST I've only had to adjust mine twice in nearly two years. The clock on my old '14 gained about a minute-and-a-half every WEEK!
    I have not had any negative issues with the clock on my 2021 RTLtd. It is quite accurate.

    As to the ambient temp gauge - today my ride partner and I compared readings (via SENA headsets) while on the fly... he is riding an air-cooled 2018 Indian Chieftain trike.
    The Indian read 86*, my Spyder read 84*.... NOAA records for the area at the time showed 79*... so there's my usual 5* difference between the Spyder and the NOAA temp at the time.... not enough to give it a second thought.
    Last edited by Pooch; 12-09-2021 at 07:12 PM.
    2021 RT Ltd, Marsala Red/Black, Dark
    New course heading Mr Sulu: 2nd star to the right and straight on til morning...

  22. #22
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    I sort of 'guessed' my 20 RTL was about 5 degrees warmer than ambient, so now I have a pretty good read on it.

  23. #23
    Very Active Member K80Shooter's Avatar
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    The only temp gauge that I worry about is the engine temp, ambient temp doesn't matter to me.
    2020 RT Limited Chrome , Petrol Blue

  24. #24
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    There are some good stick ons for those who want real temps.

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